Twin Falls 5th District Court Judge G. Richard Bevan has been assigned as presiding judge in the Lincoln County case of a man accused of manslaughter for the Christmas Day death of his 11-year-old daughter.
Bevan's appointment to the Robert Aragon case was made late Tuesday afternoon. It followed the disqualification earlier that day of Lincoln County 5th District Court Judge John K. Butler, who removed himself from the case on a motion for disqualification filed earlier by Jerome attorney Patrick McMillen, who is public defender for Aragon, a 55-year-old Jerome man.
Under Idaho judiciary rules, defense attorneys or prosecutors are allowed to file for disqualification of one district court judge without stating a reason.
Aragon is charged with involuntary manslaughter and felony injury to a child. After his car became stuck in snow on Christmas morning, Aragon allegedly allowed his daughter Sage Aragon and 12-year-old son Bear Aragon to attempt a walk of some nine miles through frigid and windy conditions to visit their mother in the West Magic Reservoir area of south Blaine County. Bear was found later that evening, cold but alive, in a roadside restroom. Sage was found around 2 a.m. the following morning and later pronounced dead at St. Luke's Wood River Medical Center.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com